The Best Thing (That Never Happened)
by randomle26
Summary: [SHORT ONE SHOT; JILY] With Sirius, Remus, and Peter all preoccupied, James has no one to play with. Why not turn to his favorite redheaded Gryffindor?


**AN: Here's a one shot- I've oddly had a lot of free time (for now) so I thought I'd get some fanfiction done**

**Title inspired by: **_**The Best Thing (That Never Happened)**_** by We Are the In Crowd**

* * *

Lily Evans was reading some muggle book her mother sent her in the Gryffindor common room when James Potter nearly broke her ankles.

Now not to sound too confusing, James didn't purposefully walk up to her and curse her legs. It was more so that he tried to flip his way onto the couch and nearly landed on her ankles.

The auburn-haired girl looked up from her book to see James sitting on the couch with a smile as big as a quaffle.

"Is there something you need?" Lily asked a little frightened and annoyed (one emotion more powerful then the other).

James pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Would you rather go back in time and meet your ancestors or go into the future and meet your grandkids?"

Lily looked at him with obvious confusion- if this was another attempt to get her to go out with him, she would say it was the least harmful attempts. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"You answer mine," he said with a shrug, "I'll answer yours."

"I think I'd rather meet my grandkids," Lily said, "Now answer my question."

"Sirius and Peter got stuck in detention. Remus is tutoring some first years in the library. We were _supposed_ to go to Hogsmeade together, but the pricks couldn't sync their schedules," James explained.

Lily shrugged, "Then go with someone else," she suggested as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

The four-eyed seventeen year old ran a hand through his never clean hair and whined like a child, "But I don't want to!"

Lily tilted her head with a judging look, "And you're here because…"

"I'm bored," he said, "Now would you rather pick the year you die or pick the way you die?"

Feeling the need to humor the boy, Lily put her book in the lap, giving him her undivided attention, "I'd rather pick the way I die."

James raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

She shrugged at him, "Because I'd rather prepare for the way I'd die then spend time waiting for the date. Plus if my death is brutal, I can plan for it in advance."

"But if you know the date," James counter argued, "you could plan out a bucket list."

She nudged him with her sock-covered foot, "Next question."

He shrugged, "You come up with a question."

She tapped her chin, feigning thought, "Would you rather have a basilisk as a pet or a dragon?"

"Dragon. When it gets older, I might be able to fly on him whenever I need to go to places like Diagon Alley or the loo," he said.

"How are you so sure your dragon's going to be a 'him'?" Lily questioned.

James couldn't help but chuckle, "I'm not actually getting a dragon, Evans. This is just a game."

Lily rolled her eyes and reopened her book, "Fine. Would you rather kiss McGonagall or kiss Dumbledore?"

"I'd rather kiss McGonagall. Not that Dumbledore is unattractive or anything- his beard would more then likely get in my way," James said with a smirk, "Would you rather go out with first year me or first year Sirius?"

"I'd rather go out with first year you," she said, "Would you rather never fly on a broom again or never apparate again?"

"Easy, never apparate. Would you rather date second year me or third year Peter?"

Lily was completely oblivious to his "subtle" hints. "I'd rather date second year you," she said as she flipped the page.

"Would you rather date a hairy troll or me?"

Still not looking up from her book, she said, "I'd rather date you."

"Would you rather date last year me or this year me?"

"I'd rather date this year you."

James sat back against the arm of the chair. "Really," he said to himself, pondering over the answers.

Obviously Lily wasn't as oblivious as he was tricked to believe. She waved her raised finger at him, "This is just a game, James."

Catching her off guard, James pushed her book away from her face. Looking at her with seriousness in his hazel eyes, James gave her one final question, "Would you rather date me or the giant squid?" He invisibly shivered at the memory of his lowest point- the moment he realized he wasn't going to get Lily with the way he was acting and maturity was due.

Lily looked into his (admittedly) charming eyes, "Considering the giant squid would only take me on swimming dates, I'd rather date you. But don't get your hopes up; that's not really saying much."

James leaned closer, the tip of his nose nearly touching the point of hers. His glasses were slightly sliding but he didn't care. "Would you like me to take you to Hogsmeade for our first date?"

"Or…" Lily asked, slightly… intimidated by the lustrous expression on his face.

"There is no 'or,' Evans," said James in a rather smooth manner.

Lily bit her lip hesitantly before nodding. If she spoke out, it would mean the moment was true.

James flashed her a heartwarming smirk, "Would you rather I take you at seven or eight?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, "You're not going to talk like this on our date, right?" She was only arguing for the sake of some normalcy between them.

"Would you rather I did or I didn't?"

Lily threw her book at him. James said he would stop asking her questions.

Three years later, Lily found out that James lied.

* * *

**How was it? **

**Now I'm contemplating doing a sequel about his proposal- maybe in the same format because I kinda had fun doing these "Would you rathers".**

**Please Read and Review!**


End file.
